Zoho announced last week that they have partnered with NTT Communications in Japan.  NTT has been looking for ways to expand into cloud environments so their partnership with Zoho makes perfect sense.  The cloud platform that NTT is starting is called “Setten.”  Setten is Japanese for “contact point.”

Last year Zoho made a similar partnership with Baihui in China to offer Zoho Apps for their customers.  Zoho’s applications will be served from NTT’s data centers through the partnership in Japan.  The partnership with start with 15 small Japanese companies, but will expand further down the line.

[via Centernetworks/Zoho Blog]

The world has achieved a milestone this week.  It has reached its four billionth mobile connection.   Not bad for a world population of 6.7 billion people worldwide.  About 59.7% of the world has access to a mobile connection, indicating that technology is progressing at a rapid pace.  The first cellular network started in Japan by NTT around 1979 and it took about 23 years for the one billion mark to be made.  The two billion mark was made in 2005.  And the three billion mark happened in 2007.  The 50% point occurred in the second quarter of 2008.  It is expected that by 2013, the number will pass six billion.

[via Gizmag]

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), NTT Communications Corporation, ITOCHU Corporation, and 10 other companies will be investing in a new English-language Japanese broadcasting channel. The channel will be created by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (also known as NHK).

Japan International Broadcasting Inc. will have about 390 million Yen to put the channel together. After the 13 investors buy shares, NHK will own about 60% of the channel. Other investors include Nippon Television Network Corporation, Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc., two other TV channel companies, and Mizuho Corporate Bank.

Microsoft will be helping NHK broadcast the content on the Internet according to Thomson Financial.